Wednesday Night Bible Study | 10.06.2021
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FPC Starkville, Martin Lifer Ð Wednesday Night Bible Study
October 6, 2021 - Bible Study Martin Lifer, FPC Starkville
Israelite Kings, Their KingdomsÉ and Their KingdomsÕ Ends.
Israelite Kings: All Flawed to Various Degrees, a Few Faithful, and Most Failed & Fallen.
Their Kingdoms: Judah (S. Kingdom) and Israel/Samaria/Ephraim (N. Kingdom).
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In ancient societies, definitely in Israel,
the king set the moral compass for the nation & her people.
The nationÕs fate & the peoplesÕ future were subject in large part to their kingÕs faithfulness or wickedness, wisdom or folly.
Solomon, DavidÕs son & chosen successor Ð
blessed by God with great wisdom (given in GodÕs favor) and great building projects (palace & Temple)
Élike a Tragic Hero descended into prideful folly AND unfaithful violation of GodÕs Torah,
taking multiple foreign wives & worshiping foreign gods. This set the stage for IsraelÕs division.
SolomonÕs foolish excess ˆ The arrogant folly of his son, Rehoboam
+ JeroboamÕs aspirations of his own kingdom & rebellion v. House of David
ˆ Divided Kingdom, with most of Israel forsaking DavidÕs House (& GodÕs Promises), É
+ JeroboamÕs Machiavellian idolatry in redirecting N. Kingdom from lawful worship at Jerusalem Temple.
N. Kingdom, Ten Tribes/ ÒIsraelÓ/ ÒSamariaÓ/ ÒEphraim:Ó
ALL the kings of the N. Kingdom, Israel, were unfaithful and practiced idolatry & the worst served Baal.
King Ahab Òdid more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him.Ó [1 Kings 16:30] Ò[T]here was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols.Ó [1 Kings 21:25-26] É Some later kings were as bad or worse.
King Jehu, the one reformer king of Israel God raised up to clean out AhabÕs house & Baal-worshiping practices, is faithful in that call (and blessed by God) yet fails to turn from JeroboamÕs/IsraelÕs unfaithful, idolatrous original ways.
S. Kingdom, ÒJudahÓ & DavidÕs House (Tribe of Judah, Much of Benjamin, Some LevitesÉ & Remnants of Others) Many of the kings of Judah served idols; a few served the LORD faithfully.
Some bad kings of Judah were partly good, and some good kings were partly bad.
1 Kings (22 Chapters)
1-11 Story of the United Kingdom Ruled by Solomon
12-16 The Tragic Division and the Early Histories of Judah & Israel
17-22 (Primarily) The Stories of Ahab & Elijah
2 Kings (25 Chapters)
1-17 Continuing Histories of Judah & Israel, concluding with the Sad End of Israel under Assyria
18-25 Closing History of Judah, ending with Babylonian Conquest (TempleÕs Destruction & Final Captivity)
Highlighted Heroes in 2 Kings: Elijah & Elisha; IsraelÕs Jehu; and the trio of godly Judean kings Ð Joash, Hezekiah & Josiah.
Key Truths in/from 1 & 2 Kings:
*Kings & generations who serve YHWH and do not worship idols => good kings & good generations.
*Israel in its unfaithfulness passes from affluence & influence to poverty & paralysis. [G. Campbell Morgan]
*In the face of wicked royals (e.g., Ahab & Jezebel), God empowers faithful prophets (supreme ex. Elijah) to serve GodsÕ Word and Providence, and GodÕs Word will prevail, notwithstanding national failure & judgment.
2 Chronicles (36 Chapters)
1-9 SolomonÕs Reign
10-12 Division of the Kingdom into Israel & Judah (see 10:16-19)
13-36 History of the Kings of Judah, concluding with monarchyÕs end, JerusalemÕs destruction & JudahÕs captivity under Babylon É AND the LORDÕs bringing about the prophesied return under Cyrus!
The Chronicles provide the clearest narrative exposition in all of the Bible on individual retribution.
Key Q.s underlying 2 Chronicles: (1) How did we lose GodÕs favor? (2) How to be restored in GodÕs favor?
(1) JudahÕs kings & Judah lost GodÕs favor by disregarding GodÕs Torah/Word & Providence.
(2) Humble repentance, obedience to GodÕs Torah/Word, and hope in his Promises & Providence.
2 Chronicles 9/ Queen of Sheba Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 2 And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 4 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his cupbearers, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her. 5 And she said to the king, ÒThe report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 6 but I did not believe the[a] reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told me; you surpass the report that I heard. 7 Happy are your wives![b] Happy are these your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 8 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the Lordyour God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness.Ó 9 Then she gave the king 120 talents[c] of gold, and a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 0 Moreover, the servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum wood and precious stones. 11 And the king made from the algum wood supports for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, lyres also and harps for the singers. There never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah. 12 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what she had brought to the king. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.
Solomon's Wealth 13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 14 besides that which the explorers and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels[d] of beaten gold went into each shield. 16 And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; 300 shekels of gold went into each shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 19 while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. Nothing like it was ever made for any kingdom. 20 All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. Silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Hiram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[e]
22 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 24 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and of gold, garments, myrrh,[f] spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.25 And Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 26 And he ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates[g] to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. 27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.
Solomon's Death 29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
a. 2 Chronicles 9:6 Hebrew their
b. 2 Chronicles 9:7 Septuagint (compare 1 Kings 10:8); Hebrew men
c. 2 Chronicles 9:9 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
d. 2 Chronicles 9:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
e. 2 Chronicles 9:21 Or baboons
f. 2 Chronicles 9:24 Or armor
g. 2 Chronicles 9:26 Hebrew the River
2 Chronicles 10/ Revolt Against Rehoboam Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 ÒYour father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.Ó 5 He said to them, ÒCome to me again in three days.Ó So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men [elders],[a] who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, ÒHow do you advise me to answer this people?Ó 7 And they said to him, ÒIf you will be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.Ó 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the elders gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, ÒWhat do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ÔLighten the yoke that your father put on usÕ?Ó 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, ÒThus shall you speak to the people who said to you, ÔYour father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for usÕ; thus shall you say to them, ÔMy little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. 11 Now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.ÕÓ
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, ÒCome to me again the third day.Ó 13 And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men, 14 King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, ÒMy father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.Ó 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.*
16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, ÒWhat portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each of you to your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.Ó So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram,[b] who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam quickly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
*1 Kings 11:29-40 29 And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. 30 Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jeroboam, ÒTake for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ÔBehold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes 32 (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have[a]forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did. 34 Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes. 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and will give it to you, ten tribes. 36 Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. 37 And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever.ÕÓ
40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
